Fence-post.



A. W. SNOW.

FENCE POST. APPucATmN man Aue.21, 19'14. 1,179,673. Patented Apr.18,1916.v

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ALLEN W. SNOW, 0F JEWELL, KANSAS.

FENCE-POST.

'Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

Application led August 27, 1914. Serial No. 858,914.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, ALLEN W. SNow, a citizenof the United States, residing at Jewell, in the county-of Jewell andState of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFence-Posts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fence posts.

rl`he primary object of my invention resides in the provision of a fencepost having novel means associated therewith for retaining strands ofwire within the recesses in the post.

Another object of my inventionresides in the provision of a novel meansfory actuating the retaining means for simultaneously disengaging theretaining means from strands of wire to permit of the removal of thewires from the recesses. f

A still further object of my invention resides in the provision of adevice of the character described that is simple in construction,eflicient in operation and one that can bek manufactured and placed onthe market at a minimum cost. y

Other objects as well as the nature, characteristic features and scopeof myrinvention will be more readily understood from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings andpointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings z-Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my invention;Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the same; Fig. 3 is a transversesectional view ofthe post showing especially the manner of mounting theretaining means; and Fig. 4 is a top plan view of my invention. y

Referring more particularly to the drawings in which similar referencenumerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the differentviews, I provide a fence post including an elongated body portion formedpreferably, though not necessarily, of concrete, tially square in crosssection and provided on the one corner angle with a plurality ofequidistant inwardly extending transverse recesses 2 and furtherprovided adjacent the upper edge on one sideadjacent the recesses 2 at apoint substantially intermediate the side edges, with a longitudinallyeX- tending recess 43 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. For thepurpose of removably locking a plurality of fence wires the body beingsubstan- 4 within the recesses 2, I have provided an elongated,preferably metallic plate 5, the latter having elongated longitudinallyarranged slots 6 adjacent the respective ends thereof through which passsuitable fastening devices, preferably square headed screws 7 and whichare engaged in the post on the side in which the longitudinal groove 3is arranged, for facilitating the sliding mounting of the plate. Aplurality of L-shaped projections 8 extend laterally from onelongitudinal edge of the plate and which projections are arranged inclose relation with the transverse recesses 3. It is preferable that theouter portions of the projections be of a width slightly greater thanthe width of the recesses 3. Upon upward sliding movement of the plateon the body the projections 8 are engaged about the wires 4 and clampedagainst the inner terminals of the recesses.

For the purpose of securely holding the clamps in position, I haveformed integral with the upper edge of the plate a screwthreadedprojection 9, the latter being bent at its point of juncture with theplate and arranged within the longitudinally extending recess 3, theextreme terminal extending above the upper surface of the body and beingengaged by a suitable thumb screw 10 for securely holding the plate inposition. In order to facilitate the simultaneous disengagement of theprojections 9 from the wires 4, I have disposed about the screwthreadedprojection 9 a suitable elastic element, preferably a coil spring 1l,the respective ends of which bear against the set screw 10 and the bentp'ortion of the projection.

The operation of my invention is as follows: When it is desired toconstruct a fence, al plurality of fence wires are placed within thetransverse recesses 2 and assuming that the plate 5 is in its lowermostposition, the set screw 10 is operated upon the screw threadedprojection slide upwardly on the face of the post and the L-shapedprojections 8 to each engage one of the strands 4 and securely lockingthe same within the inner terminals of the recesses 3, the slidingmovement of the plates being facilitated by the arrangement of the slot6 and the fastening device 7 as is obfvious.

Although I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, I

9 causing the plate to` limited to the exact details shown, however,

great stress should be laid upon-thearrange-l ment of the plate havingthe projections eX- tending therefrom with. the recesses in vthe body ofthe post. Again, attention is directed to the novel means for'actuatingthe plate. y

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying.drawings it can easily be seen that I have provided a device that `issimple in construction, containing but a few simple parts that can becheaply manufactured and assembled and when assembled can be placed uponthe market and sold at a minimumcost.

It kwill be unde'rstood that the above description and accompanyingdrawings comprehend only the general andpreferred embodiment of myinvention .and that various minor changes in detail of construction,proportion and arrangement of the parts may be made within the scope yofthel appended claims and without sacrificing any of the advantages of myinvention.

Having thus fully described my yinvention, what I claim as new anddesire tosecure by Letters Patent, is j l. A fence post provided witha'plurality of equidistant recesses in one of its angles,

retaining means slidably associated with one Aside of said post forlocking fence wires in therecesses, adjusting means associated with thetop of a post and in engagement vwith the retaining means,` andresilient actuating means disposed about the retaining means andpositioned within the post and bearing' against the retaining means andthe adjusting means for automatically and vsimultaneously disengagingthe retaining .means from thel wires, when thefadjusting means has beenoperated.

2. A fence post having aplurali-ty vof equidistant transverse recesseslprovided in one of its angles for receiving strands of wire and furtherprovided with a longitudinal groove,

1,179 evs "a lretainingplate slidably associated in one side of saidpost for locking wires within :the recesses, a projection extending fromsquarebody in cross section having a plurality ofequidistant transverserecesses provided in one lof the angles thereof for receiving strands ofwireand further provided on one side adjacent the upper edge thereofwith a longitudinal groove, aI plate slidably and Vremovably mounted onthe side of the body in which the groove` is provided, a plurality ofL-shaped projections extend-v ing laterally from said plate forretaining strands of wires within said transverse recesses, a screwthreaded projection formed by reducing the upper end of said plate, saidprojection being bent andy arranged within said longitudinal groove, athumb ing said plate upwardly and causing said L-shaped projections toprevent `the accidental displacement of the fence wires from therecesses, and a coil spring disposed about said projection within saidgroove for automatically and simultaneously disengaging the L-shapedprojections when the thumb screw is released to permit of the removalofthe wires from the recesses.

Aso

In testimony whereof I aliiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.-

y ALLEN W. SNOW. p Witnesses:

ETHAN SNow,

G. W. MCCLUNG.

Copies ot this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, byadressing theCommissioneof Patents,

' VWashington,JLG.

7.o screw operating on said projection forlmov#

